Iraqi Vice President Vetoes Election Law

[maddezmom]

Source: NYT

Published: November 18, 2009
BAGHDAD -- Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi said Wednesday that he had vetoed Iraq’s new election law.

The move threatens to delay the election date, and possibly the withdrawal of American troops. Mr. Hashemi insisted however that Parliament could quickly amend the law, and he claimed election officials had said there is still time to prepare for the vote scheduled for January 16.

Mr. Hashemi, who represents Sunnis as one of Iraq’s two vice presidents, said he objected to a clause in the law giving only 5 percent of the seats in Parliament to minorities and Iraqi refugees abroad. Iraq has a population of 25 million, of whom two million are abroad.

“Parliament could amend this law in a day,” he said. But with Kurdish leaders also objecting to provisions of the election law, another protracted debate in Parliament is likely.

Kurdish lawmakers threatened Tuesday to boycott the election unless their demand for a greater share of parliamentary seats was met.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/world/middleeast/19iraq.html?adxnnl=1&ref=world&adxnnlx=1258542003-p1PpDM1wdcns7TSV8Au3fQ